Othering is the process of perceiving or portraying someone or something as fundamentally different or alien. Photographer Wing Young Huie does an excellent job of "othering" in his photography. For example, there is one photograph on his blog that shows a white man and a black woman sitting side by side. The white man is holding a sign that says, "I hold prejudices that need to be faced and overcome." On first glance, the observer can see that these two people are looking away from each other even though they are sitting side by side. However, when looking deeper into the meaning of the picture, you can get the sense that these two people are meant to represent something bigger than themselves. They both represent different races in society. Although they are sitting directly next to each other, practically "intermixed" with one another, they choose to look the other way and not see each other as equals.
Photographer Wing Young Huie and author Margaret Atwood both use different techniques to display the concept of "othering" in their works. Wing Young Huie does this through image. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the photograph of the white man and black woman next to each other gives off a strong sense of othering. This sense of othering is given off through prejudice. By having the two people face opposite directions, the observer gets the feeling that they are ignoring each other. This picture serves as a comment on the society in which we live in today. Although whites and blacks live together equally, there are still many white people who feel that minorities are different and are "alien". This problem is common knowledge and that is what the sign that the man is holding is supposed to represent. Wing Young Huie captures this sense of "difference" in the photograph and it can almost be felt versus seen.
Margaret Atwood takes on a different approach and uses language to portray the concept of "othering" in The Handmaid's Tale. One of the most prominent examples of this throughout the story is the use of quotation marks. When a handmaid talks, her words are very rarely given quotation marks. However, when a Commander or Aunt talks, they are given quotation marks. This creates the sense that when a handmaid talks, her voice is not valued or even considered. It almost seems like the handmaid is not there and thus creates a sort of "alien" image for the handmaids. This use of language creates a clear distinction between which people are considered "normal" and which people are considered "different" in Gileadan Society.
As you can see, the use of "othering" can be used to create a distinction between two or more groups of people in a work of literature or art. It allows an author to empower certain groups or draw attention to an underlying message that they may want the reader to discover. Both of the authors examined in this post use different methods of "othering" to come to the same end goal/effect.
The structure of your response serves the task well; I also appreciated the image you selected- no one else has in the posts I've looked at so far.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up valid points when comparing othering in the two texts. As we continue to analyze other visual texts, think about the composition of the text and how the artist makes such choices to guide the audience's thinking.
I enjoyed reading your post very much. At first glance, I could not see the use of "othering" in your selected photo but after reading your response to it, my perception has changed. A black female and a white male come with very different prejudices and I appreciate the comment you made that in this photo, they are considered equals and "intermixed". This is a sensitive subject in today's society and I liked the point you brought up about feeling this photo instead of seeing it. Feeling the photo raises multiple emotions and overall makes your post more powerful. I never noticed the Margaret Attwood's examples of quotation marks as a use of "othering" while reading The Handmaid's Tale but now that you pointed it out, I would have to agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your commentary on the photograph. When I first saw the photograph without reading your analysis, I was taken back by the positioning of the subjects. It is unusual for the subjects of a photo to not interact with one another, especially when the subjects are in such close proximity. However, in this photograph it seems as if the subjects are ignoring one another. This coincides with the caption on the chalkboard, as not only can you tell that the subjects have prejudice towards each other, but to look at one another they would literally have to face their prejudices. I agree with your commentary on how different race feel alienated from other races in modern times. I was enthralled to see that you mentioned Atwood's use of quotation marks, or lack there of. When I read this book it seemed to me that the oppressed did not have a voice, as their speech was not included in quotations. I think that your commentary on why "othering" is used is refreshing. Do you think that the empowering that "othering" causes is more a result of the picture that the artist paints or the scene that the viewer sees?
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